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What to Watch For: No. 8 Ohio State

It may only be one game, but 

its implications are anything 
but ordinary. 

And it isn’t just because 

it’s ‘The Game.’ A Big Ten 
championship berth may not be 
on the line, but for the Michigan 
football team (5-3 Big Ten, 8-3 
overall), a date with No. 8 Ohio 
State (7-1, 9-2) could change the 
perception of its 2017 season. 

With a win, the Wolverines 

would finish the regular season 
with a 9-3 record, which would 
be respectable — maybe even 
celebrated 
— 
considering 

their strength of schedule and 
mass of injuries. With a loss, 
Michigan would drop to 8-4 — 
its worst record in three years 
under coach Jim Harbaugh 
— and lose any sign of marked 
progress from the past two 
seasons.

Here’s what to watch for 

when the Wolverines face the 
Buckeyes on Saturday:

How will Michigan respond 

to 
O’Korn 
under 
center 

again?

After 
three 
weeks 
with 

Brandon Peters as the signal 
caller, 
the 
Wolverines 

developed a solid rhythm with 
the 
redshirt 
freshman. 
His 

injury has brought that flow to 
a swift conclusion.

Michigan 
coach 
Jim 

Harbaugh said Monday that 
Peters had been placed in 
concussion protocol, but there 
is no clear indication that he 
will be cleared to suit up. In 
recent weeks, Harbaugh has 
also teased a possible return 
from 
quarterback 
Wilton 

Speight, but the redshirt junior 
is 
still 
practicing 
without 

contact so that prospect seems 
unlikely.

That leaves fifth-year senior 

quarterback 
John 
O’Korn. 

When he makes his return to the 
starting lineup, Michigan will 
have to make adjustments. He 
played for the first time since 
his benching in relief against 
Wisconsin, and the results left 
much to be desired. He finished 
2-for-8 with a measly 19 yards 
in just over a quarter on the 
field.

The Wolverines will need 

much better from him in order 
to stand a chance against Ohio 
State.

Can the Wolverines’ run 

game return to its dominant 
ways?

In recent weeks, Michigan’s 

offense has also been sparked by 
a surge from its running backs 
unit. Between junior Karan 
Higdon, 
sophomore 
Chris 

Evans and fifth-year senior Ty 
Isaac, each rusher has enjoyed 
assertive performances.

First, it was the duo of 

Higdon and Isaac who gained 
over 100 yards apiece against 
Rutgers. Then, it was the pair 
of Evans and Higdon, who both 
almost hit 200 yards against 
Minnesota. And when it was 
up to Evans to do it on his own 
— after injuries to Higdon and 
Isaac — he was still almost 
able to reach 100 yards against 
Maryland.

But against the Badgers — 

the top-ranked rushing defense 

in the nation — the Wolverines 
didn’t fare so well. They gained 
just 58 yards on 37 carries, a 
stark contrast from their earlier 
ways. Ohio State isn’t far off, as 
it is ranked No. 12 in rushing 
defense with an average of 114 
yards allowed per game and 
3.16 yards allowed per play.

With O’Korn still working 

his way back into the rotation, 
Michigan will need to rely on 
its ground game, which means 
the Wolverines can’t afford to 
slip up in that regard again.

Can 
the 
Wolverines’ 

defense stop a trio of talented 
rushers?

Michigan’s 
defense 
is 
no 

stranger 
to 
facing 
talented 

rushers. But while it took 
on the challenges of Penn 
State’s 
Saquon 
Barkley 
and 

Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor 
on 
two 
separate 
occasions, 

Michigan was torched by both, 
as Barkley gained 108 yards and 
Taylor gained 132.

Now, the Wolverines will 

have to brace themselves for 
Ohio 
State’s 
three-headed 

monster of running backs J.K. 
Dobbins and Mike Weber and 
quarterback J.T. Barrett all at 
once.

Dobbins 
leads 
the 
pack, 

averaging 99 yards per game and 
scoring six total touchdowns. 
Weber drops off in yards with 
an average of 60.6, but has 
reached the end zone the most 
with 12 scores. Barrett, on 
top of his impressive passing 
abilities, 
averages 
55 
yards 

per game and has scored eight 
rushing touchdowns.

Michigan’s rushing defense, 

which used to be the best unit 
in the country, has fallen back 
to No. 15. The Wolverines will 
have their hands full Saturday.

Can Michigan break the 

streak?

It 
may 
be 
the 
biggest 

game of their season, but the 
Wolverines haven’t been able to 
find success in recent years. In 
the past 13 years, Michigan has 

won ‘The Game’ only once.

The last time the Wolverines 

topped the Buckeyes was in 
2011, when Michigan pulled out 
a 40-34 win in Ann Arbor. None 
of the current Wolverines have 
ever beaten Ohio State.

They 
acknowledged 
that 

shortcoming on Monday, as 
Michigan has a bevy of fifth-
year seniors who have yet to 
secure an elusive win over its 
biggest rivals. One of them, 
senior defensive tackle Maurice 
Hurst, has said that this is 
a “one-game season” for the 
Wolverines because of how 
much they want this victory.

Whether or not they can pull 

it off is an entirely different 
question.

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

Fifth-year senior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst only has one more chance to beat the Buckeyes on Saturday, as is the case for many of his fellow Wolverines.

The Wolverines have much to gain and the Buckeyes have much to lose 

BETELHEM ASHAME

Managing Sports Editor

